San Diego State University Top Questions

I would tell myself to study harder and make sure to shoot for a 4.0 GPA. I didn't want to play sports in college, so I had to apply for scholarships and I had no idea the number of scholarships available to all students'. What I did notice was the best scholarships were for those students whose cumlative GPA was above a 3.6. In my senior year, I graduated with a 3.81 GPA but my cumlative GPA was 3.45. Every time I saw a scholarship that was a perfect fit, my GPA would be to low. We're told to do well in school and study hard to get good grades, but in high school I could not connect the dots and how important that was for college. It was during the college admission process that I understood how important the PSAT was and how far a 3.6 GPA could take you. I got in college, but I worried for a long time if I had the funds to pay tuition and fees. It is stressful to worry about that every semester. I wished I could have connected the dots a lot sooner.

I would tell myself to not choose such a big school and to really look at the groups that I want to be iinvolved with and see if you really fit in. Do you look and dress like these people because if you dont you will not be accepted by them. I would also tell myself not to base the decision on money or where I know other people are going. If I could go back I would say to look at more choices and look at the people on campus and see if it is really the right fit for me.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life, I would tell myself to go there with an open mind and ready to meet tons of people, and not to be shy and stick right by my roommate wherever she went. I would also tell myself to stay on top of all my assignmetns and not to wait till the last possible minute to do assignments assigned a week in advance. Finally I would advice myself to take advantage of this fresh start and make this chapter one you will never want to forget.

I would advise myself to continue with having a regular routine schedule each day such as waking up at the same time and going to bed at the same time. Knowing this would have helped me stay on track towards earning good grades. I also would have told myself that I should look into joining clubs right away instead of waiting to see how the first semester went. As boys go, keep your head focused on school, school comes first and if your boyfriend understands then he is a keeper. Do not make any sacrifices regarding your morals for anyone; you know who you are.

I would follow my favorite quote, "Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll still land amongst the stars". If I weren't already the type to, I would advice myself to try new things (i.e. join clubs, go to socials, run for student council positions, etc). I would also remind myself that you're on your own and no one is there to hold your hand, or make sure you make it to class, or tell you to do your homework, or tell you to study for your final. Your destiny lays in your own hands. I would also warn about the dangers of college life in terms of drinking and hazing when it comes to sororities and fraternities and to just be aware and have some dignity and respect for yourself when embarking on certain decisions and experiences. Try to THINK before you ACT, but don't forget to live.

I would tell myself to better prepare for the finances of getting a higher education. It does not come cheap even with financial aid.

If I could go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself, most importantly and absolutely foremost, that attending Modesto Junior College before going to a four-year university would be the best possible route for my life. I would let myself know that, despite how adamant I was about being an English major, general education opened my mind to millions of different ideas, and those ideas were and are constant, nagging, and ruthless temptations to change my major. Considering that I did, indeed, change my major for a year and half and then changed it back, I would be firm with myself about the negative financial consequences that such a change would have made on my family's finances. Thanks to community college, I know what I want to do and can do these things with less financial stress than my university friends. Ultimately, I would try to persuade my stubborn, high school senior self, bent on heading straight to a four-year university and bitter about not being financially able to do so, that the decision to stay at home for a few years would benefit me for life.

If I could go back and talk to my high school self I would tell her to really enjoy that last year. I feel that I was so stressed about college and moving away from home and all my friends that I never really had a chance to fully enjoy that final year of high school. I would tell myself that it is not as scary as I thought it was, and that I was welcomed into SDSU with open arms. I would also tell myself to enjoy the easiness of high school because college was no walk in the park. I would tell myself to prepare for all-nighters, long lectures, and countless hours in the Love Library. But I would also mention that I was about to embark on the most wonderful journey of my life, full of learning, fun, and new friends. My high school self would need to be reminded that we can do this, that we worked so hard in high school for this and now that it's here we better make the most of the time we have at this incredible university.

Hello Jeff, I am you about twenty years into the future. Listen up because this is extremely important! I know that you feel that you are smart already, and ready to take on the world, but you are far from ready! We did not have the guidance that we needed the first time around, but I have been given the extraordinary chance to come back in time and give you the advice that we so desperately need. Our college education is one of the most important steps that you can take right now and you need to pick one close to home. I know that you have dreams of travel and fun, but those dreams will be short lived without your extended education. You see, the future will throw unexpected obstacles in our way, ones that you cannot imagine right now, and without more education our opportunities have been shaved to thin. Now, I know our accident was only last year, and all you wish to do is get back to feeling normal, but you have the ability for so much more than just your opinion of normal. Do it right this time and don't wait as I have.

"Even if the front door is locked, and the back door is jammed, the window should be the next option." This is the attitude of a go-getter who strives to never give up. Unfortunately, during my senior year of high school, I was far from go-getting anything. My mantra was, "C's get degrees!" I thought this would be enough to get me into San Diego State University, but I was denied due to my low GPA. After years of rigorous study at a community college, I reapplied, but was denied again for the same reason. At this point of my life I felt like manure, but a voice within my conscience convinced me to try a different route. I sent the president of the college a letter explaining how I was a student with limitless drive and ambition to succeed in their university. A few days later I received a response from the president's staff stating that they’ve reconsidered my admission and will leave it to an appeal process. The vote was unanimous, and my letter has allowed me to enter the gates of SDSU this Fall.